Sparkling Watermelon (2023)

Super Sweet, Super Funny Drama

This is the first drama in a long while that I have absolutely sailed through because I was enjoying it so much.

The cast is phenomenal, and I mean all of them. I will say that ML's mom from the past, Cheong-Ah (Shin Eun-Soo) did really start getting on my nerves. I understand she had a horrible childhood, but even when the boy she likes finally starts to do nice things for her, rescue her, etc., she storms off grumpy. She stormed off on Se Kyung (Seol In Ah) when they were all at that cabin and I was like, "Wow I don't even know what she's mad about this time!" Legitimately. I still have no idea even after I played it back. That got old quickly.

My only real complaint about this show is that it got incredibly difficult to follow the story near the beginning. and even more difficult to figure out who is who and when we're in the past vs the future. It made things very confusing for a good awhile. Not to mention, I suppose it's a key part of the explanation of the plot, but the fact that Se Kyung and her daughter were both played by the same actress (Seol In Ah), made it even worse in the beginning since I was already struggling with so many people and never being sure what year it was. lol

One more very minor complaint is that some of the plot lines, certain scenes, etc., just drag on too long for no reason. I found myself skipping forward in 10 second increments quite a bit. They had some of those moments where they're meant to sit quietly for dramatic effect, but there were too many and they went on for too long at times. Felt like lazy filler.

Oh, I also wish Eun Gyeol (Ryeoun) and Se Kyung (Seol In Ah) had pieced together that they were both from the future, must sooner than they did. I mean Squid Games? And not even a question from him. Could've been really cool if Ha Yi Chan (Choi Hyun Wook) actually did believe Eun Gyeol about being from the future. Obviously it ruins part of the magic and story, but I feel like that would've been fun.

The ending did seem a bit rushed. Considering how many times I hit the skip ahead 10 seconds button, I feel like they definitely could have used their time better. I wasn't sure how it would work with Cheong Ah not being told by her father what happened to Yi Chan, and being whisked off to America, but I am happy with the ending. Especially that dad got to live the life he wanted, at least to some degree.

I had high hopes for this as it had a 9.2 rating when I started it, and I've noticed people on here are not as generous as I am with my ratings, and I was right. It was a phenomenal drama.

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Perfection

Truth to be told, I had no expectations when I started watching this. It was a random pick on a Sunday evening when I was bored. But God, did I expect it to be this good? Hell nah.

I'll be blunt. The first to episodes were boring and confusing. I was questioning who was the lead, who is this, who is that and all sort of things. But as I said, I was bored and kept watching.

But once he travelled back in time, I was laughing my lungs out and was itching to watch the next episode. I have not once pulled an all-nighter for a show. But I did for this one cause it was THAT good. I usually take upto a week to finish a show. This took me 3 days.

Go watch it people, it is one of the best drama I watched.

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The Best Coming of Age Drama I've Seen In Ages

**This is just my opinion. I truly appreciate all of the hard work and dedication that went into the production of this drama. Thank you.**

To be honest, I wasn't expecting a lot when I started watching this series. I wasn't familiar with the actors and I'm not a fan of time travel in stories. I decided to watch it because I was curious about Eun Gyeol's story. I'm very glad that I did and couldn't recommend it more highly.

It has a phenomenal cast, is very well written and has a beautiful soundtrack. It is heartwarming, funny, sad, suspenseful and ultimately satisfying. I laughed out loud and was moved to actual tears several times, a rarity for me. Viki has the lyrics to the songs translated as well so those of us who don't speak Korean are able to better appreciate the music. If you're interested in knowing them, as I am, I'd recommend watching it on there.

There are already reviews that are very detailed about the plot and characters and I've no desire to ruin it for anyone. If I were to change one thing about the drama, I would simply ask that there be more of it. Especially the ending which felt a little rushed.

I was happy that the writers, cast and production people made a series about a CODA student and his family in such a respectful, yet natural way. It was very well done.

All of the cast did an absolutely fantastic job, especially Ryeoun, who played Ha Eun Gyeoul, Choi Hyun Wook, who played Ha Lee Chan, Shin Eun Soo, who played Yoon Cheong Ah, and Seoul In Ah, who played Choi Se Kyeong. Jung Hyun Joon, who played Ha Eun Gyeoul as a child, and Choi Won Young, who played the older Lee Chan, were amazing as well.

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A highschool romcom with a lot of music, 90ies style and very charming characters

This show is the goat of all dramas, so you should definitely watch it! I mean, the plot is about an 18-year-old guitarist who goes back to 1995 after fighting with his father and the first person he meets, guess what? Yes, it's his father, but the same age as him. I won't dwell on the events that take place, 'cause it's best to discover them by watching, although some of them may be predictable, they're still quite enjoyable. Also the soundtrack is amazing, so you can look forward to it! The actors and actresses did a wonderful job, so much so that I fell in love with On Eun Yu (Seol In Ah) and I wish she was real lmao.

Hope you like it <3 <3

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Best Drama I've seen in a very long time.

The last time I was this attached to a show's characters was reply 1988. Everything from the story progression, to the music, cinematography, emotional depth was on point.
This story took us on a journey of knowing what is really worth in life, and that sometimes you just have to live in the moment and do what you can.
All the actors did an amazing job. The chemistry between everyone was on point, especially between Lee Chan and Eun Gyeol. I love that the ending was picture perfect and exactly what everyone deserved.
The comedic timings of all the characters especially Lee Chan were fantastic.
I can keep going on and on about this show, but most importantly, this shows puts things into perspective for everyone and is relatable no matter who you are. If you are looking for a little slice of life, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS.

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Arguably the best

This k-drama did (almost) everything perfect. The acting/cast was phenomenal. The main four actors are all such great actors (plus they’re all so attractive). The music fits perfectly with all the scenes, adding a powerful emotional element. The OST is also just so fun to listen to regularly. I definitely cried in the last episode. My only complaint is that the ending was a bit rushed but all the other amazing parts of the show make up for it. Overall, a very family-friendly, binge worthy show that I’d definitely rewatch several times. Candidate for best k-drama of 2023, if not all-time.

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YOU WILL NOT REGRET WATCHING THIS SHOW!!!

I cannot explain how much I love this show, it has seriously taken a big spot in my heart and I feel empty now that's its over.

I'm not joking when I say that I was so desperate for more that when the ending credits on the last episode played, I saw the 00:59 at the bottom and thought that there was another 59 minutes left. I'm not sure what I was even hoping for, bloopers or maybe a second epilogue, but even though in back of my head I knew it was seconds not minutes, I still needed to double check in hopes that that voice was wrong and the editors were just pranking me.

as much as this show leaves me empty, it will always have a special space in my heart. the ending leaves me satisfied and as much as I want more, more might just ruin the perfection that this show is.


this show has helped deal the hole in my heart that was meant to be filled by my youth, I feel like I lived my teenage years through them. I love a good youth show, but this one takes the crown.


the first 2 episodes are more of a build up to the plot, but you'll be completely lost without them. they're incredibly interesting and were great to watch, but episode 3 was the one that's really captured me. I just needed to know what was next.


this show was truly an emotional roller coaster, the writers need to open classes on cliff hangers bc this show really just kept me hooked week after week. I bore very easily and often drop shows, but this one really drew me in.


I'm not someone who is great with emotion, I often can't understand emotional shows and drop them bc I'm unable to feel what I need to which just makes everything feel very isolating and confusing, but this show really hit me. maybe it was the acting, maybe it was the writing, but this show was absolutely amazing, it's a piece of art.I do wish we got to see eunho and chungha more, I adore them so so so much.


thank you to the random tiktoker who put a very curiosity stricking tiktok on my fyp, the second I saw that video I just knew I had to watch the show and that was one of the best choices I have ever made.


if you've read this far and are still wondering if you should watch it or not, watch it. just as the title if my post says, you won't regret it. this show is so deserving of its current 9.2 rating, so much so that it deserves more.

I've said so much, I'm not sure i why, I just can't stop.


I'm not sure if any show will be able to hold my heart the way this show does, but I don't think I want that anyways, this show is so special to me and I hope it continues being this way for a very long time, maybe even 28 years.


thanks you very much to everyone who worked on this show, even u you did a "minor" job, your hard work helped bring this masterpiece to life. thank you to the writers who wrote this beautiful piece of art and thank you to the actors who brought it to life. you did so well and I hope you are proud of yourselves. you've touched my life and my heart.


this is the end of my very very long review, I tried to keep it spoiler free!

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Must Watch!!

"Twinkling Watermelon" is a delightful Korean drama that effortlessly blends romance, comedy, and a touch of nostalgia. The story revolves around the relationship between the 4 lead characters, played with undeniable chemistry by the talented cast. It's definitely a must watch k-drama. Hope they'll release the drama on big platforms such as Netflix, etc because it's so underrated and deserves more hype! Check out the show's charming keychain collection on [ https://arya.lipsstudent.xyz/merchandise/keychain/hard-plastic/buy-viva-la-vida-watermelon-keychain-online-in-mumbai-200-only/ ] to bring a piece of the drama into your life!

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A Youth Drama We Didn’t Know We Needed, But Deserved

A story about a boy who goes back in time to prevent a tragedy from occurring… that’s just the surface-level synopsis of his trip.

Ha Eun Gyeol, our main character, embarks on a journey that revitalizes his youth, helps his dad shine in a way like never before, and opens a door of communication for his mother to the world— one sign at a time!

Twinkling Watermelon (반짝이는 워터멜론) is not just a comedic slice-of-life saturated with fluffy moments enough to make you pass out from sweetness at every corner. Rather, it’s a drama full of wounded interpersonal relationships, character development, healing, forgiveness, and acceptance admist the backdrop of '95’s Seoul. In fact, the setting is so well-crafted, coupled with the original premise— that it makes the audience feel like they’re embarking on the same journey as our main character.

One of the biggest aspects that I absolutely adore about this drama is the stellar cast. Whoever did the casting deserves some kind of award! Characterizations is so on-point that it leaves you in awe. CHW practically MOLDS into the role of Ha Yi Chan, and the same goes with the orher crew members. Line delivery was flawless, and the amount of times Ha Eun Gyeol (Ryeoun) made me cry is probably too much to count— I mean, mans is a whole tear-production plant!

Additionally, this drama teaches so many great values about family that will deeply resonate and tug at the heartstrings of many viewers. As someone with a close-knit relationship with their parents, and coming from a cultural background of collectivist beliefs, the interactions between HEC ans HEG made me deeply reflect on the relationship that I have with my loved ones.

For those who still have your parents, guardian, or a loved one in general, cherish the moments that you have with them. If theres anything that Twinkling Watermelon wants you to realize, it is as Mr. Viva said, “Major and minor chords must coexist harmoniously for a song to sound delightful and complete. The same goes for life. Experiencing hardships and joyful moments help you build your dazzling life.”

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